What is a post-processing option to decrease noise in a digital image?

Smoothing is a post-processing technique used to decrease noise in a digital image. Noise in imaging can be random variations in brightness or color, which can detract from the overall image quality. Smoothing works by averaging the pixel values in a neighborhood around each pixel to reduce this variability, thereby creating a cleaner and more uniform image.

The process involves applying filters that can help in softening the image without losing significant details. Smoothing effectively diminishes the harshness caused by noise while maintaining the overall structure of the image.

Sharpening, in contrast, is aimed at enhancing the edges and fine details in an image, making it look crisper. This technique can inadvertently amplify noise instead of reducing it. Zooming changes the size of the image but does not address any noise present. Cropping removes portions of the image but does not affect the noise in the remaining image data. Therefore, smoothing is the most appropriate choice for reducing noise effectively.